Quarterbacks Vernon Adams (Oregon) and Davis Webb (Cal) come to mind immediately, but help can arrive at other positions, as well.

That appears to be the case this spring:

Impact players across all units, on both sides of scrimmage — and special teams.

Below is a ranking of the nine transfers confirmed thus far, based on the combination of 1) team need, 20 player production and 30 position value.

Oh, and there’s a good chance we’ll update the rankings a month from now. More additions are surely on the way.

Again, these are graduate transfers only; no undergraduates or junior college players.

9. Cal WR Maurice Ways (from Michigan): Played in 10 games for the Wolverines last season but only caught three passes and joins a roster that’s well-stocked at receiver (Vic Wharton, Kanawai Noa, Demetris Robertson Melquise Stovall and others). Ways gives the Bears additional depth in case of injuries, but it’s difficult to envision him making a substantial contribution.

8. Arizona State OL Roy Hemsley (from USC): Was not a starter for the Trojans, is better suited as an interior lineman (guard) than tackle and probably won’t break into the Sun Devils’ lineup this fall. But he’s graduating from USC in three years, meaning Hemsley has two seasons of eligibility with ASU. He gives the Sun Devils depth in ’18 and a potential starter in ’19.

7. Oregon CB Tim Hough (from UNLV): Production: Solid. Hough played in 36 games for the Rebels and started about half of them. Need: Moderate. The Ducks have Thomas Graham on one side and unproven options on the other. Position value: High. To play top-tier pass defense over 12 games against all the spread offenses in the Pac-12, teams need at least three quality cornerbacks. Hough gives the Ducks a second.

6. Cal TE Ian Bunting (from Michigan): A case of past production perhaps not reflecting the potential impact. Bunting started eight games for the Wolverines and had just 11 career catches. But he fills a major need for the Bears, who are transitioning to a scheme that makes ample use of tight ends. Bunting’s arrival expedite’s that process. He can be used as a receiving option but also as a blocker to increase Cal’s physical presence on the line.

5. Arizona P Dylan Klumph (from Cal): Yep, a punter is slotted ahead of several position players, which has as much to do with production as need. Klumph was one of the top punters in the conference (43 yards-per-punt average), and the Wildcats were the worst punting team. Not in the conference; in the country: Their average of 34.2 ypp was dead last in major college football. Add the improved field position brought by Klumph’s leg to Arizona’s veteran defense, and you’ve got a top-five impact ranking.

4. Arizona State OT Casey Tucker (from Stanford): The Sun Devils struggled up front last season and lost their top player, Sam Jones. While Hemsley is likely a rotation player, Tucker should be much more in 2018. Raised in Chandler, he was an elite prep prospect who picked Stanford over ASU and started for the Cardinal as a sophomore. He fell out of favor and lost his job but is a better option than exists on the Sun Devils’ roster. If he’s not the No. 1 left tackle in Week One, something will have gone wrong.

3. Colorado TB Travon McMIllian (from Virginia Tech): Philip Lindsay’s departure left a crater in Colorado’s backfield (not only in production but also leadership). McMillian played a limited role for the Hokies in 2017 but finished his VaTech career with more than 2,000 yards rushing and topped 100 yards against both Miami and Tennessee. While not Lindsay’s equal as a receiver, McMillian should prove a vital complement to quarterback Steven Montez, especially given CU’s attrition at receiver.

2. Washington State QB Gardner Minshew (from East Carolina): When the transfer market opened early in the offseason, in the aftermath of Tyler Hilinski’s death, the Cougars didn’t have a quarterback with playing experience — a handful on the roster, and not a pass attempt between them. Minshew solves that issue: He threw for more than 3,000 yards during his ECU career and has experience against the likes of West Virginia and Virginia Tech. His presence could keep WSU competitive in the North.

1. UCLA QB Wilton Speight (from Michigan): Threw 22 touchdowns and more than 400 passes for the Wolverines but never elevated the offense to a championship-caliber level. The Bruins don’t need that from Speight: They simply need him to lift their offense to a postseason-caliber level in the first year of Chip Kelly’s overhaul. Speight could do that, and more: He just might be the bridge UCLA needs to redshirt Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a move that could pay immense dividends in future years. Just weeks after losing one grad transfer in K.J. Carta-Samuels, the Bruins found a better option. Speight just might be worth a spot or two in the South standings.

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Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP top-25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree.

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